Creamy, decadent vegan matcha ice cream flecked with bits of sweetened red bean. No-machine, only requiring 15 minutes of active hand-churning time.
Any matcha lover knows that sweet red (azuki) bean paste is an essential side to matcha ice cream. But what if the red bean was mixed in the ice cream itself? Yep, the result is the frozen dessert in my dreams.
Hand-Churn Technique
As with the black sesame ice cream, I’m again whipping coconut cream as the bulk of my ice cream base. The can of coconut cream is chilled in the fridge overnight for the best separation between water & cream (you only want the cream). The same procedure, as follows: whip cold coconut cream until stiff peaks form, then add in all the flavorings and sweeteners.
Now the hand-churning part: situate your ice cream mixture in a bowl filled with ice, and begin whisking by hand (or a hand mixer). The key to this is adding a healthy amount of salt to the ice, which dramatically brings the temperature of the ice down and makes the hand-churning process much easier. If you’ve done so correctly, you will only need to hand-churn the cream for a grand total of 15 minutes — 10 minutes first and then 5 more minutes after 1 hour of chilling.
Vegan Matcha Red Bean Ice Cream
Course: DessertCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy4
large scoops5
hours15
minutesCreamy, decadent vegan matcha ice cream flecked with bits of sweetened red bean. No-machine, only requiring 15 minutes of active hand-churning time.
Ingredients
- Matcha Red Bean Ice Cream
10 grams high quality matcha powder
3 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 tablespoon agar agar
1 teaspoon pure vanila extract
400 grams coconut cream (full fat)
4 tablespoons vegan condensed milk
1/2 cup sweet red bean mash
- Vegan Condensed Milk
1.5 cups non-dairy milk (almond, soy, oat, etc)
1/2 cup sugar
- Sweet Red Bean Mash
1/2 cup dried red adzuki beans
1/4 cup sugar
Directions
- Prepare the Sweet Red Bean Mash. First, soak the red adzuki beans in room temperature water for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (this is crucial!). Once red beans have been soaked, drain and wash them well. Place red beans in a medium-sized pot along with around 1 Liter of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook red beans until completely soft (squish-able between your fingers), around 1 – 1.5 hours. Drain the water (leaving a little bit of water in the pot) and mash the red beans along with the sugar. Just roughly mash the beans — don’t turn it into a paste/puree! Once mashed, place the red beans in an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the Vegan Condensed Milk. In a sauce-pan, combine non-dairy milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and let simmer to reduce by two-thirds, around 30 minutes. Note: Don’t let the milk boil too rapidly! At the end of the reduction, the consistency should resemble regular condensed milk, but note that it will get a little less runny when cooled. Let cool for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Below is the condensed milk drizzled into coconut cream (for the ice cream base).
- Prepare the Ice Cream Base. Pour the can of coconut cream (refrigerated beforehand) into a large bowl. Whip the coconut cream until stiff peaks form. Whipping is much easier when the cream is cold — place the cream in the freezer for a few minutes if it is not whipping up, then attempt again.
- Prepare the Matcha Concentrate. In a microwave-safe bowl, pour hot water onto matcha and agar agar while whisking vigorously. Microwave on high heat for 15 seconds (or slightly longer if your water wasn’t already boiling hot).
- Make the Matcha Red Bean Ice Cream. Add the vegan condensed milk, matcha concentrate, vanilla extract, and mix thoroughly. Prepare a large bowl filled with ice and around 1/4 cup of coarse sea salt, and secure the ice cream bowl in the middle of the ice bowl. Using a large whisk, continually whisk the mixture for 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 45-60 minutes (chill both the bowls so the ice won’t melt in the meantime). Take the bowls out and churn by hand again for around 5 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Fold in the sweet red bean mash and then quickly transfer the ice cream into a freezer-safe airtight container. Chill in the freezer for at least 5 hours or overnight, until solid. Let ice cream thaw for at least 10 minutes before scooping and enjoying.
Notes
- Addition of coarse salt to ice: lowers the temperature of the ice, making the conditions more optimal for hand-churning.
- Optional Addition: 1 tablespoon of vodka. Liquors like vodka have a very low freezing point, which helps prevent ice crystal formation and ultimately creates a softer, creamier ice cream.